Elevator signaling system



Jan. 22, 1929.

, 1,699,685 E. P. BUTUSOV Y ELEVATOR SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 12, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l 1 v a l attomq Jan, 22, 1929,

E. P. BUTUSOV ELEVATOR SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 12, 1926 SZSheets-Shqet 2 Jan. 22, 1929.

1,699,685 E. P. BUTUSOV ELEVATOR S IGNALING SYS TEM Filed Nov. 12. 1926 a Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan, 22, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL P. BUTUSOV, OI HOLLYWOOD, ILLINOIS,'ASSIG1\TOR F ONE-HALF TO DANIEL LEWY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELEvA ron SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Original application filed May 1, 1925, Serial No. 27,273. Divided and this application filed November 12, 1926. Serial No. 147,958.

My inventionrelates to traific signaling I systems and is of especial utility in connection with elevator signaling systems to which, however, the invention is not to be limited, and has 'a number of objects and advantages in view.

This application is filed in compliance with a ruling of the Patent Ofiice and is a division of my application, Serial No. 27,273, filed 9 May 1, 1925, for elevator signaling systems.

, In accordance with one feature of my invention, the traveling elevator car or other vehicle carries a signal device, preferably an incandescent lamp, and the elevator vehicle operating mechanism actuates a switching mechanism which serves, in conjunction with the operated signaling push button or switch, to momentarily operate the signal device upon the vehicle and subsequently prolong the operation of this signal device, the momentary operation of the signal device conveying a preliminary signal which warns the operator to be prepared to heed the prolonged signal which is to follow. Where the traflic system employs a number of vehicles, vehicle actuated switching mechanism is employed that serves in conjunction with the manually controlled signaling switches or push buttons, to cause the signal devices upon the vehicles to operate only when the vehicles are traveling in the direction corresponding to the employed manually operated signaling switch. The invention, in anotherof its characteristics, relates peculiarly to elevator or traffic systems employing a plurality of cars or Vehicles moving in adjacent paths. Such system is, in accordance with my invention, provided with vehicle operated switching mechanism which serves in conjunction with the employed manually controlled signaling switches to operate the floor or stage signal devices which correspond to the elevator cars or vehicles that are nearest and approaching the floors or stages cor-responding to the employed manually controlled switches. The arrangement is preferably such that the floor or stage signal devices instantly respond upon the operation of the manually controlled switches irrespective of the distance of the approaching vehicles. Provision is further 'made whereby if any car or vehicle of a group whose floor. or stage signal device has been operated'is passed by another,

the particular signal produced b this signal device will be canceled and the oor or stage signal corresponding to the passing car or vehicle will be presented instead.

The invention has other characteristics and advantages and will be fully explained in connection withthe accompanying drawings 1n which Figures 1, 2 and 3 taken collectively and placed side by side with Figure 2 between Figures 1 and 3, diagrammatically illustrate an elevator signaling system constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of my lnvention.

The elevator system illustrated includes three cars 1, 2 and 3. Each car is caused to travel vertically by any suitable form of elevator operating mechanism which may be inclusive of the car suspending cables 4 passing over sheaves 5, 6, and having counterweights 7 attached thereto. at 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, the drawings indicating that there may be floors below and above the indicated floors. The cars'l, 2 and 3 are respectively provided withsignal devices there on that are desirably in the form of incandescent lamps 13, 14 and 15. Each car is provided at each floor with a down signaling device and an up signaling device, these signaling devices being also preferably in the form of incandescent lamps. cally, and in order to aid 1n the description of the diagram, elevator car 1 is provided with down signaling lamps 16, 17,18, 19 and 20, and up signaling lamps 21, 22, 23, 24 and Five floors are indicated More specifi- 25, respectively at floors 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12;

elevator car 2 is provided with down signaling lamps 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30, and upsignaling lamps 31, 32, 33, Miami 35. respectively upon said floors; and elevator car 3 is provided with ddwn-signaling lamps 36, 37, 38, 39 and,40 and up signaling lamps 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45 also respectively upon, said floors. The floor push buttons or switches 46, 47, 48, 49 and50 located respectively at the fioors 8,

9, 10, 11 and 12, respectively pertain to the down signal lamps upon these floors, for causing their operation. The floor push huttons or switches 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55 provided respectively upon the floors 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 pertain to the up-signal lamps upon these floors. Switches 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65 respectively supplement the switches 46 to 55, inclusive to enable the latter switches to be'released.

changes as will appear. For example, the

- push button 46, shown momentarily depressed, establishes circuit for its associate magnet 66 which may be traced from the positive pole of the generator 76 through the winding of the magnet 66, the contact of the push button 46 to the negative pole of said generator. The corresponding armature switch 56 is lightly held in the position to which it-is moved by the magnet 66 by means of a spring 56, the similar armature switches upon the various floors.

pertaining to the other push buttons, being similarly equipped,

1 The circuits established or controlled by the operated armature switch pertaining to any actuated push button, relate directly or indirectly tothe signal lamps upon the elevator cars and the up and down floor lamps When the desired signaling has been accomplished any armature switch such as the armature switch 56 which has been brought to a circuit closing position, is restored to its idle position by'a restoring magnet, there being restoringmagnets77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, respectively individual to the armature switches 56 to 65, inclusive.

The elevator car 1 has a groupof switch members 87, 88, 89 and 90 that may be efiective when the car is traveling downwardly, whenever a down floor switch or push button is operated. This car is also provided with another'gr'oup of switch members 91, 92, 93 and 94 that may be effective when the car is traveling upwardly,.whenever an up floor switch or push button is actuated. These switch members 87- to 91, inclusive, are shown as being in the form of contact wipers or arms which are fixed upon the shaft 95 that may be moved longitudinally and also rotated. The means for rotating the shaft 95 is diagrammatically.illustrated as being inclusive of a shaft 96 carrying the sheave 97 that is driven from the shaft of sheave 6. The shaft 96 drives the meshing bevel pinions that drive the elongated spur pinion 99.

This pinion is in mesh with a spur gear 100. As the elevator mechanism causes the elevator to travel it also causes the shaft 95 to rotate. When the elevator car is moving downwardly the switch members 87 to .90 inclusive should be alone effective to engage the waiting contact pertaining thereto. When the elevator car is traveling upwardly the switch members 91 to 94 should be alone effective to engage the waiting contacts pertaming thereto. The wipers of each group are brought into contacting range of their waiting contacts when the wipers of the other group are removedfrom contacting range with their waiting contacts and by moving the shaft 95 longitudinally. I

In Figure 1, this shaft is shown as having been adjusted to the left to bring the wipers 87 to 90 inclusive into contacting range of their waiting contacts and the wipers 91 to 94 inclusive out of contacting range with their waiting contacts. This result may be accomplished by providing the shaft 95 with a grooved collar 101 which receives the pins upon the ends of a fork 102 which is carried upon the armature 103 that is common to two magnets 104 and 105. The magnet 105 is caused to be energized by the elevator mechanism when the elevator car is traveling downwardly and the magnet 104 is caused to be energized when the elevator is traveling upwardly. The means shown for energizing these magnets includes a switch arm 106 which is held in frictional engagement with the shaft 96 by means of the spring pressed clamp 107. When the car is traveling downward as illustrated in Figure1, the switch arm 106 is turned in a counterclockwise directionuntil it engages the contact, 108 which is individual to-the magnet 105,,the circuit for this magnet being thereby closed to place the shaft 95 in its left-hand position illustrated. The circuit for the magnet 105 is traceable from the positive pole of the generator 76 through the winding of the magnet, the contact 108, the armature switch 106, the shaft 96, the conductor 109 to, the negative pole of the generator. After the switch arm 106 has engaged the contact 108, a result which, occurs during the first few feet of the downward movement of the elevator, the shaft 96 may continue to rotate as the elevator descends owing to the slipping engagement then occurring between the arm 106 and the shaft 96. Similar results occur when the elevator car ascends, the switch arm 106'then being thrown into engagement with the contact 110 with the result, that the circuit of the magnet 105 is opened and the circuit of the magnet 104 is closed, the circuit of the latter magnet being apparent from the de-- scription which was given ofthe circuit of the former. When the magnet 104 is energized the shaft 95 is bodily shifted to the right to make the wipers 87 to 90 inclusive ineffective and to make the wipers 91 to 94,-

previously inefiective, now effecfunction and arrangement to the wipers described in connection with elevator car 1 and which are operated and made effective and ineffective by apparatussimilarto that employed in connection with elevator car 1. The wipers and the elements of the controlling equipment therefor which pertain to elevator car 2sthat are respectively similar in function and arrangen'ient to the wipers and the elements of ,given similar characters of reference with the exponent 2 added to each.

The wipers 87, 87', 87 pertain to signals 13, 14 and 15 which are upon the elevator cars, each of thesewipers having a bank of waiting contacts, each contact of a bank being individual to a floor and reached by the corresponding wiper two floors or so in advance of the arrival of the corresponding car at the floor to which the engaged contact is individual. Each of these wipers has a waiting contact individual to each of the floors. As the cars travel downwardly these waiting contacts are successively engaged to partially close the circuits of the corresponding signal devices upon the elevator cars. WVhen a passenger wishes to descend from an upper floor he depresses a down push button, push button 46 for example, which establishes the circuit of the corresponding magnet, magnet 66 in this instance, as hitherto described, thereby placing the associate switch, switch 56 in this instance, in engagement with itscontact to establish circuit for the si nal device upon the car nearest and descen ing toward the floor of the waiting passenger, a result which occurs, say, two floors or slightly more away from the floor of the waiting passenger. As illustrated, the descending car 2 is nearer the floor of the signaling passenger, the-circuit for the signaling device or lamp 14 on this car being established when the car is sufficiently close to the floor of the waiting passenger, this circuit being traced from the positive pole of the generator 76, through the conductor 111, the actuated supplemental switch (in this instance the switch 56), the contact engaged by this switch, the waiting contact of the wiper 87 which is individual to the fioor that is two floors or so abovethe floor of the signaling passenger, the wiper 87, the signal device or lamp 14 upon the car 2 to'the negative pole of the generator; The wiper 87, as is also the case with all wipers that are in controlling relation to the, signal lamps upon the cars, has bifurcated branches a, Z, that themselves constitute a pair of spaced apart electrically connected wipers,; the arcuate length of the wiper a being shorter than the arcuate length of the wiper b and spaced so far apart therefrom that the elevator attendant may receive a momentary warning signal at a greater distance from the floor of the depressed down button than the prolonged signal which is later initiated and maintained by the broader Wiper Z), both wipers a and b sweeping over the same waiting contacts. The lamp 14 is excluded from circuit before the car reaches the floor of the signaling passenger due to the disengagement of the wiper Z) from the waiting contact engaged thereby, a disengagement which does not occur until the car is at this point in its downward travel. The control of the signal devices in the cars effected by the up wipers 91, 91' and 91 in conjunction with any depressed up floor button will be readily understood from the description of the control of the signal lamp 14 in car 2, the circuit arrangements and apparatus that control the signals in the cars when the cars travel upwardly being similar to the circuit arrangements and apparatus that control these signals when the cars travel downwardly. The up wipers are made ineffective when thecars are traveling downwardly and the down wipers are made ineffective when the cars are traveling upwardly by shifting the shafts carrying these wipers in the manner hitherto described.

Continuing the description of the results which follow upon the depression of the down push button or fioor switch 46 which has been chosen as an example, the down vfloor lamp 26 individual to the nearest approaching and descending elevator 2 is instantly caused to glow, and continues to glow until the car 2 reaches and slightly passes the floor of the signaling passenger, these results occurring unless some other car, say descending car 1, should ass car 2 before the latter car reaches the oor of the signaling passenger, whereupon the down floor lamp 26 individual to the car 2, is disconnected from circuit and the down floor lamp 16 individual to car 1 is connected in circuit. The lamp 16 now continues to glow until the descending car 1 reaches the floor of the signaling passenger unless this car in turn should be passed by another descending car before reaching the floor of the waiting passenger, whereupon the down floor lamp individual to this other car will be caused to glow until this other car reaches the floor of the waiting passenger, etc. The circuit established for the down signal lamp 26 that is individual to the car 2 may be traced from the positive pole of the generator 76 through the armature switch 56, the contact of this armature switch, to the right over the conductor leading to signal lamp 26, thence through signal lamp 26, over the-conductor leading to the left to conductor 112 individual to the car 2', thence along conductor 112 to the tie-in point just below the etfacing switches 121, 126' and 131. thence to the right over the conductorand down over the conductor leading to the waiting contact. of the down wiper 90, which is reached by this wiper usually of the signaling passenger, the waiting contacts of this wiper being respectively individual to the different floors, said .wiper 90' to the negative pole of the generator. When the car 2 which has received the waiting passenger resumes its journey, the circuit of lamp 26 is opened by moving the switch 56 away from its contact, a result which is brought about by energizing the relay 77 which then moves the switch 56 away from the position to which the switch was moved by magnet 66,- magnet 77 being unopposed by the magnet (36 due to the release of the push button 46. The circuit of the signal eifacing magnet 77 may be traced from the positive pole of the generator 76 through the magnet 77, the waiting contact of the w per '89, then engaged by this wiper,'the waltmg contacts pertaining to this wiper being respectively individual to the diflerent floors as is the case with the waiting contacts of all the wipers, said wiper 89" to the negative pole of said generator.

The downsignaling conductor 112 that is included in the circuit of the employed down signal devices, such as the lamp 26, is indi vidual to the car 2, as has been stated. Car 1 has a similar down signaling conductor 113 individual thereto and car 3 has a simllar down signaling conductor 114 lndlvldual thereto. The cars 1, 2 and 3 have snnllarly functioning up signaling conductors 115, 116 and 117 respectively. These signaling conductors are inclusive of sets of consecution switches individual tot-he different cars that enable one car which passes another on its way to the floor of the signaling passenger, to cut out the floor signal individual to- Y The trios of consecution switches that are individual to the floors are respectively mounted upon solenoid plungers. 133, 134, 135, 136 *and 137-. These plungers are arranged to be electro-magnetically operated to move the consecution switches simultaneously to circuit opening position, the plungers being respectively provided for this purpose with solenoid coils 138, 139, 140,141 and 142. The elevator mechanism of each car serves to 0p'-- erate switching mechanism which causes the trios of the down consecution switches to be opened beyond the portion of the down signaling conductor available or necessary for inclusion in the circuit of the floor signal lamp corresponding to the depressed floor button or switch and individual to the elevator car. Any other car passing this car toward the floor of the waiting passenger will cause the succeeding trio of consecution switches to be opened to prevent the floor signal of the passed car from being manitested or eflface it and topermitthe floor signal of the passing car to be manifested. To this end the solenoids or-magnets 138, 139,

140, 141 and 142 are connected with waiting contacts which pertain to the down wipers 88, 88', and 88 the waiting contacts of each of these wipers being respectively individual to the various floors. nearest and approaching thefloor of the signaling passenger will cause the opening of consecution switches beyond the portion of the down signaling conductor 112, 113 or 114 It is obvious that the car v that may be employed in the circuit of the floor signal individual to this car, thereby instantly cuttin ofi the remainder of the down signaling con 7 uctor employed for operating the signal individual to this car and opening the down signaling conductors pertaining to the other cars that are farther away and preventing the floor' signals individual to these "other cars and upon the floor of the waiting passenger from being operated, or cutting these signals out if theyhave been operated -and the cars individual thereto have been passed. v

The circuits ofthe switch opening magnets 138,139, etc. will be readily understood from an inspection of the diagram. In this instance the magnet 141 has been energized to prevent the floor signalon the floor of the signaling passenger and corresponding to any car above car 2 from being operated. The

circuit for this magnet 141 may be traced from the positive'pole of the generator 76 a through this winding of this magnet to the waiting contact of wiper 88', then engaging this contact to the negative terminal of said generator, the engagement of the wiper 88 with the contact that causes the, energization of the magnet 141 occurring a sufiicient number of floors in advance of'the floor the operated floor switch 46. 1

v The up signaling conductors 115, 116 and 117 are inclusive of similar .consecution switches and associated elements, these consecution switches and associated elements bemg respectively given characters of reference having similar to characters of reference applied to the consecution switches and associated elements pertaining to the down signaling conductors 112, 113 and 114, with added'prime exponents. The solenoids pertaining to the governed by th up consecution switches are wipers 92, 92 and 92 It is not believed that a repetition of the description given in connection with the down signaling conductors 112, 113 and 114, th i1 down consecution switches in these conductors, and the down consecution switch opening magnets, need be virtually repeated in conjunction with these elements shown in association with the up-signaling conductors 115, 116, 117.

The only instrumentalities which need be carried by the cars are the signal lamps 13 individual to the cars together with the flexible conductors including the lamps and disposed in cables suitably attached to the cars, in accordance with common practice. The only instrumentalities which are required to have location upon the various floors are the up signal lamps and down signal lamps 16, 21, etc. pertaining to the cars and provided upon each of the floors where they are required, and the floor switches or other push buttons 46, etc. for the use of passengers in operating the signal lamps upon the cars and the signal lamps upon the floors. The pairs of magnets 77, 66, etc. together with the switches 56, etc.,.controlled thereby, the sets of signal eflacing switches 118-112, 123127, etc., that are individual to the cars, and all of the remaining apparatus and wiring are disposed wherever it is most convenient, the greater part of this equipment being gener' ally placed in the elevator shafts.

' What I claim is z 1. In an elevator system, the combination with a vertically traveling elevator car; of a signal device upon the car; a pair of spaced apart electrically connected wipers, and elevator operating mechanism moving sald Wipers proportionally to the movement of the car; waiting contacts, each contact being suc cessively engaged by said wipers which are relatively proportioned to cause the first wiper to engage a contact to have momentary engagement with such contact and the second wiper to have extended engagement with such contact; and a prospective passenger operated switch at each 01 a plurality of floors traversed by the car and adapted to remain closed until after said car arrives at the particular floor, said signal device being in series with said wipers, the switch at each of said floors engaged by said wipers, and the waiting contact engaged by the wipers.

2. In an elevator system, the combination with a vertically traveling elevator car, of a signal device upon the car, a switch having a traveling contact member and contacts complemental thereto, said member being actuated by the operating mechanism of the car; and a manually controlled switch at each of a plurality of floors traversed by the car and adapted to remain closed until after said car arrives at the particular floor, the first aforesaid switch including mechanism and circuit connections for momentarily establishing the circuit of the signal device a predetermined number of floors in advance of the floor of the signaling passenger and subsequently eiiecting prolonged establishment of the circuit through said signal device until said car reaches and slightly passes the floor of said signaling passenger, in conjunction with the employed manually controlled switch.

3. In a tratfic system, the combination with a traveling vehicle; of a signal device upon the vehicle; a pairof spaced apart electrically connected wipers operated by the vehicle operating mechanism; waiting contacts, each contact being successively engaged by said wipers which are relatively proportioned to cause the first wiper to engage a contact to have momentary engagementwith such contact a predetermined number of floors in advance of the floor of a signaling passenger and the second wiper to have extended engagement with such'contact; and efiecting prolonged establishment of a circuit through said signal device until said vehicle reaches or slightly passes the fioor of said signaling passenger; and a prospective passenger operated switch at each of a plurality of stations reached by the vehicle and adapted to remain closed until after said vehicle arrives at the particular station, said signal device being in series with said wipers, the switch at each of said stations engaged by said wipers, and the waiting contact engaged by the wipers.

4. In a trafiic system, the combination with a traveling vehicle, of a signal device upon the vehicle, a switch having a traveling contact member and contacts complemental thereto, said member being actuated by the operating mechanism of the vehicle: and a manually controlled switch at each of a plurality of stations reached by the vehicle and adapted to remain closed. until after said vehicle arrives at the particular station. the first aforesaid switch including mechanism and circuit connections for momentarily establishing the circuit of the signal device a predetermined number of floors in advance of the floor of a signaling passenger and subsequently effecting irolonged establishment of the circuit through said signal device until said vehicle reaches or slightly passes the floor of said signaling passenger, in conjunction with the employed manually controlled switch.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

" EMIL P. BUTUSOV. 

